Council Funding Priorities
It’s great that Councils invest in meaningful projects for clubs as it helps communities grow. However, local politics may cloud the decisions behind Councils investing in particular projects. Are major projects that a community needs really at the forefront of a Council's forward capital works programming? Or are funds being prioritised to projects that will help local Councillors get re-elected?
We are aware of the huge range of community needs that deserve funding and what level of infrastructure is actually going to make a difference. For example, a ‘minimum standards’ approach to facility development is unlikely to cut it for clubs that operate all year round. To successfully run their clubs, volunteers need facilities that are capable of accommodating the rough-and-tumble of day-to-day operations, as well as the capacity to host their competitions and tournaments.
The political nature of local government means that Councillors often gravitate towards clubs that make lots of noise. Before they jump at investing in a particular club’s project, Councillors should take steps to ensure that it is the best possible use of rate-payers’ money. They should consider:
Could another club benefit more from the money?
How will the project benefit the community?
Has the club researched the project's benefits?
What research and consultation has the club done, and does it support the project?
Does the club really NEED the project, or is it more of a WANT?
Is the club going to have any ‘skin in the game’?
Club Planning Priorities
It’s important that clubs research all aspects of a potential project. A club's needs and wants should be understood separately. It’s fine to chase grants for projects you WANT, but you then have to demonstrate that the project is a smart business decision that will be of benefit to the community. You can create a stronger case to Council by understanding how your project fits in with local facility network planning, that it meets local demand (based on statistical population, demographic and trend analyses), and ensuring that you can manage and maintain the new infrastructure in a way that will maximise its useful life.
Robust project planning will ensure that your facilities are built the right way and in the right place and not, for example, somewhere where they could be underwater every time we get a bit of rain.
Additionally, grant writers who know what it takes to write good quality grant applications have a higher chance of being successful in receiving funding. This could be professional grant writers or club volunteers. If you do hire a professional grant writer, make sure they help you construct well-thought-out plans through research and consultation and that your application highlights the genuine need for your project and how it will generate great community outcomes.
Michael and Steve’s advice for Councils:
Invest the right amount of money at the right place and in the right project. How you do that is based on good planning that is informed by genuine need from statistical analysis that is then backed up by community engagement.
Have the courage to push the right projects in the right direction. If you’re a Councillor, sure, score your political points, but genuinely invest in projects that are supported by good planning with defensible facts and needs. Don’t let bureaucracy and politics cloud your judgement for doing the right thing for your community.
Invest in building the capacity of the volunteers who run your local clubs and associations. Be proactive in creating strong relationships with volunteers. Support them by providing access to non-profit governance training and support, strategic planning and the tools and resources they need to make the time they commit to their volunteer roles as valuable as possible. It’s the old ‘teach them to fish’ adage, rather than just doling out more fish.
Michael and Steve’s advice to clubs:
Develop positive partnerships with your lessor (for the most part, Council) and with your local, state and federal politicians. You are one of many clubs in your local area. Make sure you take a proactive approach to developing partnerships that will help you achieve your goals.
Access the best professional grant writers to help make your project ideas as robust as possible and get the funding your club deserves.
Invest in your own skills as a grant writer. You’ll get a guaranteed return on that investment!
Michael, Steve and the team at CPR Group are proud to have worked with literally thousands of clubs and scores of Councils to develop winning grant applications. More importantly though, it’s the planning that CPR Group has prepared that has created such strong applications. A great Master Plan, Business Case, Feasibility Study and Project Plan usually make all the difference to successful applications! Contact CPR Group, leaders in master planning and experts in grant writing, to help your project stand out from the crowd at info@cprgroup.com.au. Or register for our Grant Mastery Certificate, so you can gain the skills of a professional grant writer. Register Here.
